Cadentia
by Entwinedlove
Summary: Post Eclipse, no BD spoilers. Set 40 years after Bella's change. Bella & Edward struggled through Bella's new power, and are now barely existing in an abusive relationship. Will a new intrusion into their lives revive their love or destroy it beyond hope?
1. I'll Drink Your Deadly Poison

I sighed as my hands finished the last sounding notes of my latest composition. I closed the key cover and stood up, not really wanting to retreat to the bedroom where my wife would be waiting for me. _Bella_. She had meant everything to me once, about forty years ago, when she was human. I didn't really want to revisit the past, but my mind continued to wander on its own.

I had met her in high school, and I almost killed her. Gradually I came to love her, need her like air, like blood. Her blood sang to me – a scent so delectable it's a wonder I didn't bleed her dry the moment she passed me. We overcame so many obstacles. A tracker vampire intent on torturing her, a seven-month separation that nearly killed us both, a war of newborn vampires – she had been labeled a danger magnet by the family. However, despite the odds we survived it.

I asked her to marry me and although she had been reluctant, she and I were married on August 13th that same year. The day before her birthday, a month later, I changed her into a vampire. I had warred with myself – how could I steal her soul from her? She adjusted amazingly well for a newborn, we found she had a talent, like myself and two of my siblings – she could relieve or ease someone's emotional pain by touch. She didn't use it often, because she didn't understand why it was helpful and where it had come from.

The first person she helped was me, accidently. I was so distraught by her change – she was so different, yet still the same. And I had killed her because I was so selfish. I had to have her with me. We chose a car crash as our deaths to keep her change away from her human friends and family.

Once we started merging her back into society, she realized the potential of her power, but we didn't know the consequences then. She was so self-sacrificing as a human, her power helped people through emotional pain. Not quite like my brother's power – he could only manipulate and distract with emotions, she lessened the pain by taking it into herself, we didn't realize it in the beginning however.

We decided to start over in high school, this time in a rainy little town in Maine. Once we graduated there, we picked a university and decided what to do with our "lives." This time, I went into music. She was undecided for a while but then decided on psychology. The family decided to try living apart for a while, to do something different. We ended up in New York. We each went into our new careers then, Bella went into social work – more specifically, counseling for victims of violent crimes. I played as a part of an orchestra for an Off Broadway playhouse. She didn't use her power for every case, of course, but she could take bits of pain from the worst cases, so they wouldn't commit suicide or could work on moving on.

We lived that life for about ten years, until we couldn't push the age card any more. When her co-workers and few friends from college would ask about when she was going to have children, we'd use the excuse that one of us was infertile. A few people hinted that we could adopt at one point, we politely came up with other excuses. It was hard for her to come up with a plan to kill us off again. That was the longest we stayed in one life. It was too difficult for her to get so attached to all the humans she met. We met back up with the family, and went through the process again.

Sometimes the family dynamics would change, I would be Esme's brother, Carlisle would be brothers with Jasper or Rosalie, and Bella would be Esme's sister. Whenever we did have jobs or careers, Bella would insist on helping others. She'd work at a soup kitchen, an orphanage, a hospital's grief counselor. It was time of experimentation within the family.

Times were fun and lighthearted for the most part. So many different stories could be told about Alice or Emmett's antics. We were never bothered by the Volturi, or werewolves, or any other rogue vampires.

After about twenty years though, when Bella's father passed away, she started using her power more frequently in her work. Jasper and Alice had been off on their own during this "life." It was when they had killed themselves off and returned to the family two years later that we realized how much Bella had been using her power. Jasper barely made it into the house before he couldn't stand to be around her. Alice was frantic, but Bella just continued about our daily routines like nothing was wrong.

I caught up with Jasper and talked with him. He had said the pain she was living with was overwhelming and devastating, almost worse than my suffering when I had left her when she was human. I didn't understand. She hadn't been acting strangely, that I had noticed. She smiled, laughed, joked, and enjoyed her work, or so I had thought.

Bella and I bought a house nearby, so Alice and Jasper could live with the family. Alice noticed the differences in Bella that I had been unable to see and shared them with me. Bella had started to get snappy with the family. She would isolate her self by going to work. When she was home, she'd stare off into space. She didn't enjoy the things she had before. I thought it was just her hobbies changing, but once I stepped out of the situation – I realized she was depressed. Esme and Alice tried to get her to use her power less often, and she got angry with them. Claiming it was the only thing that was good about this life.

This was about twenty-five years after her change. And as much as I had loved her being with me, as a vampire, this was what I was scared about. She regretted becoming one of us. She tried to convince me otherwise; she argued that wasn't what she had told Alice. She was lying to me. We had stopped talking. Soon, we even stopped making love.

Carlisle and Esme, as ever the parental figures to the rest of us, insisted we all move to a new location and enjoy the isolation from society for a while. We decided on some place exotic – we found a very small tribe of people on the edge of a tropical jungle in South America. We created a home in the trees – no electricity; the only running water was from the trees when it rained. Amazingly, Alice didn't miss the shopping, Emmett didn't miss the video games, and Carlisle enjoyed the reprieve from the hospital as well. Only Bella hated it. She said we were doing this because we hated her, that we were jealous of her power. She became paranoid and jumpy, and did her best to ignore all of us all the time. I felt I had lost her completely. That was, until she ran away from me, from us. We lost her for years. No matter the amount of searching I did, I could not find my wife, my Bella.

The family relocated again, and picked up the pattern of life we had before: high school, college, career, death. I was unhappy, unresponsive to the family. It was as if she had taken my happiness when she left, because I had nothing left. All I did was mope and despair that something or someone had hurt her, had taken her away from me. Alice assured me she was all right physically, but she wasn't ready to come home mentally.

I was listening to the radio one day when I heard her sweet voice in a song. I freaked out. I started searching for her again, this time I found her. She was just starting a career as a singer, so she wasn't very popular yet. She had changed her name, wore a wig, contacts. She was someone else entirely when I found her. She was upset at me – she wondered why I didn't come to her when she left the jungle. I swore to her that I did look for her, but she didn't believe me.

When I brought her home for the family reunion, Jasper didn't react like normal. He told me in his thoughts that she was no longer overwhelmed with sorrow and pain, but now, she was consumed with guilt. Oddly enough, she killed her new persona off quickly and returned to the family. We have yet to find out what she feels guilt about.

We have returned to high school, once again. This time through college, Bella decided she wanted to try something different. She went into criminal justice. Another of her new oddities – her new job is a guard at a maximum-security prison. Not a counselor or psychologist, but a guard. One that works with the most gruesome and cruelest of the murderers. She doesn't speak of her job, but has assured us that she hasn't harmed anyone.

Jasper says she's lying. I don't want to think about it anymore. So I just continue on, this life I'm a doctor working with Carlisle. I just hide my emotions now; I hide under the routine. But when it comes to being alone with Bella in our bedroom, we're not the same couple we had been. We don't make love anymore. We fuck. That's the only way to describe it. The primal aggressive animals we are show up we go into that room. We express our anger, our hatred, our mania. We've given up on real furniture – all we do is destroy it anyway. All that's in the room we call a bedroom is a mattress on the center of the floor. A dark burgundy oriental carpet underneath it, the walls around painted a deep red. The curtains are dark. We don't spend time there. Once we're done hurting one another, we retreat to our separate rooms: my music lounge, her library. We don't talk; we barely see each other, except for the routine of retreating to that room to our sadomasochistic games.

When she had returned to me, I tried to love her, worship her like I had done in the past. She screamed at me, and threw things, attacked me ruthlessly. I didn't understand. I still don't understand, but I've learned to stop asking questions. She stops responding completely when I ask. So I suffer through it. I'd rather have her near me, than not near me at all.

So with slow, grudging steps, I make my way to our room. Wondering if this is how we'll continue forever.

* * *

_Song Edward heard Bella singing on the radio? "Give Unto Me" by Evanescence, (unreleased). This was going somewhere completely different when I started. I'm just going with it._


	2. There's No Rest for the Wicked

I didn't focus on Bella after our evening of violence. I just assumed she retreated to her library. I lost myself in the music of decades past, ignoring the thoughts of my family as Esme returned from her garden club. Rosalie and Emmett returned from a date. Carlisle returned from his shift at the hospital. I always took the earliest shift, he'd take the evening one. We didn't work together. Alice came to my room and stood outside the door for a while. Her voice was silent, her thoughts however betrayed her. Finally, she directed them to me.

_May I come in, Edward?_

"Of course, Alice," I said quietly, as I turned the music off. Alice had tried to take Bella shopping the other day, only to be snapped at and ignored. It hurt her, but she tried to hide it. Bella had hurt all of us, but I didn't know how to help her.

"We might have a visitor, but I can't see anything about them. All I know is someone is coming."

"What do you mean? Are you blinded by something?" She shook her head.

"It's odd, I see glimpses of meeting the visitor, then nothing at all. I don't know what this means, but I'm afraid it might mean our fragile peace is about to be crushed."

I lowered my head into my hands, my newest telltale that I was upset or worried. "When do we need to prepare?" I spoke quietly again. I always tried to prepare Bella for any sort of visitor, otherwise she lashes out at everyone, instead of just me.

"Umm," she paused and then glanced quickly at me, a look of worry scrunching up her features.

"Edward, Alice," Jasper's voice filtered up through the house, filled with panic, "Someone's coming, and they're terrified!"

Without hesitation, I flew down the stairs past Alice to Jasper who was standing on the front porch. Alice was behind me in a second, as was Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, and Rosalie.

I saw a flash of white fleeing towards us from the north, the woods that were Bella's normal hunting grounds. My first thoughts were that the frail form was Bella. Alice's hand came out and grabbed my wrist before I even had a chance to go towards the frail girl.

_Just wait._ She thought quickly.

A piercing scream sounded as the flash of white stumbled, fell, and trembled on the ground several yards away. It wasn't Bella. It was girl, a vampire by the looks of her dressed in a flimsy white dress and covered in dirt smudges. She was panicking. I'd never seen a vampire cower like that except at the mercy of Jane, the handmaiden of the Volturi. Then I saw what the girl was cowering from, and it felt like I had been punched in the stomach by Emmett.

A menacing snarl filled the front yard, racing up to the cowering girl. Her brown hair billowing around her, an angry look on her once beautiful features, and the silence of her mind told me it was Bella, but I didn't want to believe it.

My mind started to get fuzzy, and Bella was screaming at the girl, obscenities, something about Shakespeare, and pain. Suddenly Jasper was on his knees, cringing and wincing in pain. Alice was beside him in an instant, but all he could do was cower and whimper in Alice's arms.

My mind snapped back immediately and I was running towards them, full force, to stop Bella from whatever it was she was doing. She glanced up from her victim and turned her eyes to me. They were black as though she hadn't fed in months and full of anger. I felt a course of pain shot through my body as my knees went weak. I remember feeling confusion, and calling her name, but then nothing.

I awoke in Bella's arms, her eyes a warm topaz that I had seen earlier in the night. She looked ragged and full of sorrow.

I tried to speak but the thirst in the back of my throat was devastating. I hadn't felt it this bad in years. "What happened?" I croaked out. She started sobbing over me now and I heard Emmett in the background. The smell of blood hit my senses and my mouth watered. I realized that Emmett had brought me a deer to resuscitate me, and I devoured it quickly. Once I had regained the ability to stand and function well enough on my own, I chanced a look around. Only Bella, Emmett, and I were in the front yard now.

Emmett began talking quickly and quietly, "Well, I don't know about the passing out thing, but Rosalie is off hunting for Jasper, and Alice is with him. Carlisle and Esme are with the… girl."

He looked over at Bella then, and I looked down at her as well. She was quietly sobbing, slumped over in the dirt and grass. She looked broken and I fought the urge to hold her like I had in the past.

After a few moments, she raised her head and whispered, "I'll explain. Can we gather everyone together?" I nodded and realized how she sounded, broken, real, normal, and alive. Her voice had sounded dead and zombie-like for so long, I felt dazed and speechless by her few words. I started walking towards the house, still hungry but willing to wait to hunt in lieu of an explanation. Her voice echoed in the quiet as Emmett left as well, "Edward," she sounded like she was begging, "will you carry me?"

My breath caught in my throat. She hadn't let me touch her except when we were in our bedroom in years. Something had changed, but I didn't know what to make of it. I turned and scooped her up like I did those years ago when I carried her over the threshold of our home and walked her slowly towards the living room, where everyone was gathering, waiting for her to explain everything to us.

* * *

_ I know it's short, but the next part should be longer. You're probably as confused as Edward at the moment, but that's okay. The next chapter should clear up a lot._


	3. Wretchedness Consuming

We entered the house after everyone else. I could tell by their thoughts that they were all somewhat scared of Bella, and curious as to why she was allowing me to carry her. I set her down on one of the large loveseats and then took my place beside her. Everyone but Carlisle and the girl were seated in the U-shaped group of seating, but soon Carlisle joined us as well.

"The girl is resting," Carlisle told the family; he then directed his attention to Bella, "Whenever you're ready." With that the room fell into an awkward silence.

"I did that to her," Bella said quietly, the words barely a whisper, but by the thoughts of my family all of us had heard her. We waited for her to continue, but nothing else followed. I prompted, "Did what to her, Bella?"

"Might as well start from the beginning," she mumbled, but then started, "I started noticing changes in myself when I started using my power more often. First little things, I'd get angry for no reason or I'd want to cry. I started remembering other people's past mixed in with my own. I'd remember things, Charlie used to beat me, I used to cut myself, but then I'd get confused because I'd remember differently on other days."

"It wasn't until Jasper and Alice came home and we had to move out that I knew how much it affected me. I couldn't control my anger, hurt, pain. So I shut you all out. I didn't want to hurt any of you. I don't think it worked though."

"When I ran away, I started experimenting with my power more. I'd stalk the criminals in the streets of the big cities. I'd watch them commit their crimes – sometimes violent murders, even rapes and I'd just watch, like some sick freak. But then, after they were done and gloating or trying to dispose of evidence, I'd unleash my power on them. I wasn't taking the pain away anymore, I was inflicting it. I was taking the rage and hatred, the sorrow and pain, and throwing it at them. At first I was throwing too much at them, and it'd cause them to go in to cardiac arrest and die. I'd just watch."

"I never slipped up with our diet though. Not then. Soon I could release the pain and terror onto my criminals more slowly. If I rushed the release of emotions too quickly they would pass out. That's what happened with you and Jasper," she looked up from her wringing hands to my face. "Even a vampire body and brain can't stand up under the pressure, and everything shuts down to deal with it. Vampires just wake up with a horrible thirst. Humans sometimes have more lasting effects." Her eyes shifted down to the floor again then.

"There is so much hate and pain inside me, and every time I release it, I feel guilty. I shouldn't do this to them. When I take the killers to isolation at work, I force some of the pain on them. The abandonment, the fear, the hurt."

She took a deep breath then, and chanced a glance at Carlisle. "Desdemona will wake up soon."

"Desdemona?" Emmett said quietly.

Bella just nodded, returned her gaze to the floor, and continued her explanation. "I was hunting about a year ago, giving in to the instinct because I was in our hunting grounds here. Private property and all, I didn't think there'd be a human anywhere within range. I was wrong. Her blood sang to me, and I was already draining her dry before I could rein the instinct in enough to stop. I almost killed her, but then I panicked, I didn't know what to do with her. She started screaming from the venom and I just wanted to hide her. I felt so much shame in attacking her. The mountain lion nearby was confused and angry because I stole his dinner. I finished him off, and then grabbed the girl and followed the lion's scent back to its cave. I left the girl there, alone during her transformation."

"If I had of strayed from my routines, one of you would have noticed. I returned on the evening of her third day and waited for her to wake up to take her hunting. When she came to she had no memory. All she felt was fear of me. At first, I wanted to take care of her, but soon, because of her fear of me, I started hating her. And that hate caused my power to release on her."

"I'm sorry that I snap or am mean towards you all, but it's nothing compared to what I release onto her. It's like she's my personal pincushion or emotional punching bag. I've dragged her through hell."

"I named her Desdemona for two reasons. One, the meaning is 'wretchedness,' which is what I feel most of the time, which is what I inflict on her most evenings. Whenever I go hunt, I also go and drag her through the emotional drainpipe. I'm cruel. The second reason is because Desdemona in Shakespeare's _Othello_ was innocent but murdered by her husband because he didn't trust her. This girl was an innocent, and I have tried so hard to protect the innocent and punish the guilty, yet I stole her life anyway, and I continue to destroy her emotionally."

"I have taught her to hunt animals only. She stays in her cave most of the time, hunts at night. She knows to stay away from any other vampires' scents. And," Bella paused again, swallowing the lump in her throat. "What we have is a master/slave relationship. She wouldn't even breathe if I told her not to." She looked at me, and the sarcasm and rude surface attitude came back, she rolled her eyes at me and said, "And yes, I feel guilty for it, but it's like a drug; I can't stop."

There was silence as her last words hung in the air. Even silence in everyone's mind. All at once the silence was broken by a cacophony of sound. Everyone started thinking and talking all at once. Questions were being thrown at her, a few judging comments from Rosalie, an attempted joke from Emmett, something about fixing her a room from Esme, medical related mumblings from Carlisle, even a shopping related comment from Alice. Carlisle cleared his throat then and the silence started back, though everyone's thoughts were racing now.

"Do you want to stop hurting others, Bella?" Jasper asked from his quiet corner. He and I were the only two who remained quiet when Bella had finished speaking.

Slowly, Bella looked up at me, her eyes large like a doe, and then her eyes traveled to Jasper, and she nodded her head, "I do want to stop hurting people, especially Desdemona, but it's so hard to stop." She closed her eyes and took another deep breath, her eyes opened and shifted directly to the doorway, where a broken, dirty, fragile looking vampire with black eyes stood.

Desdemona's eyes were fixed on Bella's feet, and she slowly took a step into the room. She chanced to look up at Bella's face then and Bella nodded her head quickly. Like an unspoken question. Strangely enough, the girl's thoughts were quiet, almost eerily silent like Bella's.

"But return here," Bella said, and although I didn't think she was trying to sound threatening, those three words had a menacing undertone too them. Desdemona waited a brief moment before flying out of the room to go hunting.

Esme and Alice immediately got up and started going about their self-appointed tasks, Alice to find something for Desdemona to wear, Esme to make a room available for her as a bedroom. Carlisle seated himself on the couch that Esme had just vacated, flopping down with a sigh. He seemed so unlike himself in that moment; it startled me.

"I'm going to the garage," Rosalie randomly said as she gracefully left the room, Emmett following behind her.

Jasper had his eyes closed, with a look of concentration on his face, probably being overwhelmed by everyone's reaction to Bella's news. I could hear my father's thoughts as he collected them and started coming up with different ways Bella and the family could handle the situation.

… _notice if our coven continues to grow. Maybe we can ease her out of this addiction, slowly wean her off it. Or would it be better to try and get her to stop cold? She might end up hurting one of us, but we can heal, what's she doing to the prisoners, it's not right…_

Jasper's thoughts started swirling within my own, why was he thinking about me?

…_--have to tell him. That was crazy. Almost completely empty, then begging and thirst, I don't know how to describe it even. At least Bella isn't so consumed with guilt and pain at the moment. It's tolerable. I wonder if we'll have to live apart again…_

"Bella," Carlisle's voice broke the stillness, "this is probably going to sound odd, but, is there a way to measure how much pain you inflict upon someone? I was thinking that if we could help you only inflict a certain amount a day, and then lessen that gradually, you might be able to overcome this," his calm demeanor had returned, and with it his poised position on the couch. No longer was he slumped back and shrunken looking, but seated casually with his hands upon his knees, leaning forward slightly, anticipating her answer.

Before Bella could respond, Jasper spoke up, "I'd be able to tell how much pain she inflicts, as long as I'm with her," he directed his attention to Bella, "you'd no longer be able to go to work. I doubt they would let me shadow you in prison." A small smirk formed on his lips, in his attempt to lighten the otherwise serious subject, and Bella allowed the break in the tension. She nodded and smiled a little as well.

"I'd hate to have to uproot everyone one again because of me," Bella started. I opened my mouth to interrupt her, but she continued by holding up her hand, "—let me finish, I know you'd object and say we do this as a family and you all care for me. We've had that discussion several times already. But, I like where we are, and I don't think moving will help Desdemona very much. I'm not the only one with a problem now."

A slight frown slid onto my face as I spoke once she had finished, "Aside from the Stockholm syndrome you have her under, and the obvious bloodlust, what's wrong with her?"

"She hasn't spoken a word since her change," she paused, waiting for that information to sink in, "it's not like we can merge her back into society a mute, can we?"

"Then how does she communicate with you?" Carlisle spoke up, slight confusion written on his features.

"Desdemona sends her emotions to Bella, to let her know what she wants," Jasper said quietly, explaining what he had felt when the girl had silently asked for permission to hunt.

"Do you suppose she has forgotten the use of language completely? Most who suffer from amnesia remember the basics – motor functions, the ability to read and write, how to talk. It's the memories of people and places that are forgotten," I asked aloud, not really expecting anyone to respond.

"Maybe she just hasn't had the need to speak, considering Bella can read her emotions," Carlisle mused, "Wait, have your powers grown? You used to only be able to channel emotions by touch."

Bella nodded slowly, "Yes, I can read emotions from those nearby without touching them anymore. I figured that out while I was away from everyone."

Alice returned from upstairs with a small smile on her face, with Esme following behind her. The smile turned to a frown and I picked up her thoughts to understand why.

…_I could have sworn she would be back by now. It's hard to get a read on her. Maybe I'll just have to be around her more…_

We heard a quiet knock on the door then, and Bella spoke quietly without looking up, "Come here and sit at my feet, Desdemona." The door opened slowly and the girl stepped in, shut the door quietly, and placed herself Indian-style at Bella's feet, facing the others in the room. Desdemona looked at each one of us, a small smile on her face. When her eyes landed on Jasper, she dropped her eyes quickly to the ground and wiped the smile from her face. I glanced at Jasper then, and he just sent me the thought, _she finds me attractive._

I tried to listen to the girl's thoughts, and again, I was met with that eerie silence.

"Desdemona," _Desdemona,_ "this is my family." _This is my family._ "You will treat them with respect and do as they request of you," _You will treat them with respect and do as they request of you._ Bella's authoritative voice spoke quietly to the girl. I listened in amazement as Bella's words were echoed inside Desdemona's head.

My shock started to wear off slowly, and I asked aloud to Jasper, out of habit, "What is she feeling?"Most times this question would be about Bella, but he understood I meant the new vampire sitting on the floor.

"Nothing. It's like she's empty," Jasper answered. _Empty. _Desdemona's thoughts echoed. I looked up at Alice and Esme, still standing at the foot of the stairs. Esme's hands were on Alice shoulders, but Alice was still bouncing steadily. As though a trap snapped, Alice launched forward and straight to the girl.

"Oh Mona!" Alice started quite loudly, "Why don't you come with me, Esme's got your room all ready and I have some clothes you can change into after you've bathed. Have you bathed since your change? Oh, I can't wait to take you shopping! Someone else with dark hair, I'll have to buy some more makeup!" Alice had grabbed the girl's hand and was starting to pull her up, headed for the bathroom.

Desdemona's eyes grew wide and if possible she paled. Confusion was easily read on her face, and one didn't need to be an empath to see it. A strange sound came from her as she was being pulled to her feet, her eyes glancing back and forth from Bella to Jasper to Alice, panicked. The sound was like a garbled gasp like the sound a deaf person would make when trying to speak aloud.

Realization dawned then. Desdemona had been deaf in her human life! That's why she wouldn't know how to speak as a vampire. My hands automatically started signing to her, a skill I learned on the side to help handicap patients as a doctor or teacher.

Carlisle nodded as the realization kicked in for him as well, and when Desdemona's eyes saw my hands, she immediately calmed and signed back.

**The short girl is my sister. She would like to help you clean up.** My hands signed for her as I spoke aloud, so that she could start to learn the words by hearing them.

**Oh, I'd really like some clean clothes.** Desdemona signed back, then turned to Alice, and signed, **thank you**. At that, Desdemona nodded and gestured for Alice to move ahead of her.

…_oh, this might be more difficult than I thought…_ Alice's thoughts babbled on at me.

"Try to be a little calmer around her, Alice. We don't want her to freak out and leave," I called after them in a normal voice. Esme looked a little confused as she came and sat on the couch next to Carlisle.

"We've seen her respond to Bella's words though. How can she not understand Alice?"

"I don't think she's responding to Bella's words. As Bella speaks to her, she sends out different types of emotions to express herself," Jasper explained, "do you realize you do that, Bella?"

Bella nodded then, "Yes, I do that on purpose. When I told her to return here, I sent out longing. When I told her you were my family, I sent out love. I've learned that seemed to be the only way I could get her to listen to me. Apparently she was listening all along, but she just didn't understand."

"That'd be why I don't really hear her thoughts. She echoed everything you said to her, but there wasn't any thought that was originally hers."

"So we have a deaf newborn and a sadistic empath," Rose's voice cut through the room as she stood in the doorway with Emmett behind her. The sarcasm dripped from her words, "Great and I thought our family couldn't get any more dysfunctional."


	4. These Problems are Hard to Swallow

_AN: __Something of a song playlist related to the titles of the chapters and their content is on my profile._

* * *

___________Cadentia - a falling or sinking; usually in reference to music_

* * *

It was a few hours later when Desdemona reemerged from Alice's makeover. She looked refreshed and like a totally different person. She didn't look like the frightened, broken girl she came into the house as. But then again, she hadn't seen Bella since earlier. I'm sure once she was reacquainted with her "master" she'd recompose herself quickly.

I had realized sadly that Carlisle and I were the only ones who knew sign language; therefore, we would be the ones to practically teach her how to speak. I thought I'd stop by the book store and purchase a few how-to books on signing for the rest of the family, so we wouldn't have to carry pens and paper around with us, which is what Alice and Esme had started to do as they showed the new girl around the house.

I was preparing to go to work when Desdemona came down the stairs, looking around for someone when Emmett spotted her. They hadn't been properly introduced, he had told me earlier.

"Hi! I'm Emmett!" he practically yelled at her. She and I both winced at the noise.

"Emmett, inside voice, she's not deaf now, she's got vampire hearing just like the rest of us," I muttered at him.

He looked confused, "but you said…?" and he trailed off.

"She can hear you; she just doesn't understand the words. She knows sign language and how to read, so you can talk to her that way."

Once the information clicked in his brain, his normal smiled grew into a large bear of a grin. "Like charades?" He started rubbing his hands together, as if creating heat, like he was preparing something.

I sighed as I waited for his demonstration. Emmett, the self appointed king of charades.

He turned back to Desdemona and pointed towards himself, "Emmett" he said normally. Then, he pointed to his left shoulder and growled like a bear holding his hands up pretending he had claws. He held up two fingers and pointed to his other shoulder, then gave himself a large hug and plastered a happy smile on his face. He looked back at me then and waited. "Did she understand?"

Desdemona turned to me then and signed, **so he's ferocious on one side, but on the other he's a big teddy bear?**

I nodded and smiled at them both. "**Yes, that's about right**", I signed and spoke back to them. Emmett smiled himself and bounded off upstairs, thinking of ways to pester Alice. Did he not realize she'd see any decision he makes? I turned to walk out the door but Desdemona was in front of me quickly.

**You're leaving?** She signed frantically; her only real form of communication was going away.

"**Yes, I'm going to work. Carlisle is upstairs if you need him. He knows how to sign, as well. Until we can teach the others how to sign, you'll be stuck writing things down,**" she nodded and smiled tentatively. I made my way to my car and headed towards the hospital. While I was driving I thought about the new vampire in our home.

Desdemona. What an odd name for Bella to give her. I wonder if she remembers her name as a human. Bella said she didn't remember anything, but without spoken communication, I'm not sure how much Bella got right. She was small, but a little taller than Alice, probably around 5'1". Her long hair was extremely dark brown and wavy, stopping close to her lower back. Her features were angular, like all vampires, but there was an innocence to her eyes that reflected how sheltered she'd been in this life and her previous one. High cheekbones and a round face, with a small, straight nose. She was very beautiful in her own right. But she wasn't Bella.

I did my rounds and took care of any new patients during my shift. My mind rarely stopped thinking of Desdemona. What would her presence do to our family? Would she be an accepted part of it one day, or would we set her up and ship her on her way as soon as we were able. I know Rosalie would want her to leave. Bella would too, perhaps, since she's such a reminder of her addiction. But Esme, Alice, and maybe even Jasper would argue to keep her as a new family member. Carlisle would debate with himself. The larger our coven, the more likely we are to draw attention to ourselves from the Volturi, and we didn't want that.

After work I stopped at the book store, like I had planned. There were few books to choose from so I picked up a copy of each. Unsurprisingly, I didn't find any books on how to teach a deaf person to speak. I didn't expect I would. I suppose the first things we, or well, I, should teach Desdemona would be our names and how to express that she wants to go hunting.

When I arrived home, I attempted again to read Desdemona's thoughts. Instead of listening for words, I looked for emotions and images. Sure enough, once I focused in on her, I found her in her room, listening to the world around her. How her bed squeaked just slightly when she sat down, how the air made a _whoosh_ when the door opened, it was interesting to listen to how she heard things now. I'm sure over the past year she had gotten used to outside noises but inside noises were new to her.

I left the sign language books on the coffee table in the living room and headed upstairs to Desdemona's room, which happened to be across from my music lounge. I knocked on her door and slowly opened it, "**Desdemona, how are you doing today?**"

**Good**. She smiled at me. Innocent and hopeful eyes looked back at me, actually interested in what I was here for.

"**I thought you would like to start learning how to speak, yes?**" She nodded. "**Do you remember your name before you were changed? Or would you like to continue to go by Desdemona?**"

**Alice calls me Mona, but no I don't really remember much. Or understand for that matter. Obviously, I figured out I'm a vampire, but are any of the myths real? Can I die? How can you be around humans? Are there others like us? Teach me, please.**

I smiled sadly at her and sat down on the small arm chair near her window, and motioned for her to join me in the other chair across from it. "**Myths. Sunlight doesn't harm us, it just makes us sparkle – very inconvenient and conspicuous, we tend to avoid going out on sunny days so humans don't realize we're different. Coffins, crosses, steaks in the heart, garlic, holy water – all nonsense. The only way we can really die is if we're torn into pieces by another vampire or a werewolf and burned.**"

I wondered if I was going to need to explain the werewolf part, but she didn't interrupt me. She only nodded her head and listened. Talking to Mona was rather like talking to Bella, I didn't have to weed through her thoughts as well as her words. Besides that they were quite separate because she didn't actually have a voice. I had to concentrate to read her mind. It was relatively quiet being alone in her room with her. I could vaguely hear my family's thoughts and words from different places in the house, but nothing so distracting that I couldn't tune them out.

"**Yes, there are others like us, but most vampires feed from humans and therefore can't live in harmony with them. Their eyes are crimson. Our eyes are usually a golden color because we feed from animals. We abstain from human blood so we can be around them and live among them. It keeps us connected to our humanity. Abstaining is all about control. We'll work on yours after awhile.**" I paused to take in her face. Even for a vampire, sometimes all of this can become information overload, but she seemed to be taking it in stride. Alice had her dressed in a beautiful hunter green cowl-neck sweater and dark washed blue jeans. She was curled up with her legs in the chair with her. She looked relaxed but attentive. "**Is there anything you'd like to ask or work on first?**"

**Could you teach me how to say everyone's names? Starting with mine, I'd like to be able to introduce myself.**

"**Mona. Hi, I'm Desdemona.**"

I said the line and stopped. The look of concentration on her face was cute. She watched my lips and then her lips puckered slightly as she moved to make the "m" sound.

"M-m, Mo-nah," she stuttered out. The sound was beautiful even if stiff from unuse. To learn how to use her vocal cords, mouth, and lungs in a new way – as a vampire no less, would be quite an experience. As vampires we are so aware of our own bodies it is probably a strange feeling when these previously unfelt sensations occur. The sound of our own voice to our heightened hearing, the rumble in our chest from our voice box, the feel of air leaving our lungs with each word.

"Mon-ah, Mona," she paused and so she could associate each sound with the actual word, she continued as she signed. "**Mona. Hy'm. Hi. M. Hi, I'm. Hi, I'm Des, Desde-mona. Desdemona.**"

As she stuttered along, I smiled a little and nodded. Maybe there would be an easier way to teach this, perhaps like a child learns to read out loud, a read-along book might help. I'd hate for her to be subjected to such childish devices – it would not make her feel much better about herself, but it might help in the beginning, I decided to ask Alice if one of those electronic books would help.

Mona continued to mumble and sign to herself for a moment or so, and then she looked me straight in the eye and spoke clearly, "Hi, I'm Desdemona." The sound of her voice was like a butterfly's wings dancing on a breeze, it was glorious and alluring. The smile on her face eclipsed mine, but she was obviously extremely excited with herself.

This continued through each person's name saving Bella's for last. I also mentioned our gifts as we talked about me, Jasper, Alice, and Bella. She seemed very self-conscious once I mentioned my ability but I assured her that I'd give her as much privacy as I could.

It was very hard for her to say Bella's name without a slight bit of contempt in her voice. After she pronounced everyone's name correctly, except Bella's; whom she said "bell-la," she asked if we could continue later.

I was just about to leave the room, heading downstairs to talk to Jasper about his day with Bella went, when I heard Mona's voice.

"Edward," there was still a pause between the two syllables, but the way she said it caused knots to tighten in my stomach, almost like butterflies. I turned and raised my eyebrows slightly, a questioning look on my face.

"**Yes?**" I asked to the top of her head. She had embarrassingly looked towards her wringing hands.

**May I listen to your music?** She asked after she looked back up at me. She looked hesitant and scared to ask, as if I'd be angry.

"**Of course. Do you know how the stereo works?**" I answered her. She nodded quickly and turned to the wall of CDs, browsing what she wanted to listen to first.

I stepped away then, while she was occupied. I listened for Jasper's voice in my head and pinpointed him in the library with Bella, debating the qualities of a new author whose book made the bestseller's list. I made my way downstairs to the library on the other side of the kitchen. I knocked out of politeness and habit and only walked in when I heard the "come in" muttered by Bella.

She was sitting on the arm of a black armchair, her legs crossed in front of her. She looked a little agitated with the world (or just me) and glared at me as if I'd interrupted something extremely important. I smiled stiffly and stayed at the doorway, wondering if I should stay and talk about her day or excuse myself to somewhere else in the house.

The scowl she was giving me didn't lessen her beauty. She wore a tight business suit in wool gray; the jacket was open and slightly askew from the way she was sitting. Her shirt was a navy blue silk v-neck and the wide leg pants hid the tone muscles of her caves and thighs from view. I could barely see her pantyhose covered toes peeping from under the fabric, and her stiletto heels were carelessly dropped to the floor and swept under her chair. Her hair, which had been carefully tied up in a French twist, hung loose down her back. She was waiting for me to address my reason for bothering her, holding a book in her left hand, arm twisted, wrist bent, elbow resting on her knee.

Jasper was left of her, leaning back against the couch looking up at her. He was watching her, with a wondering look on his face. His legs were stretched out in front of him, and he seemed to be waiting for something.

I muttered quietly, "I was just curious about your day," but before the last word left my mouth, I felt a searing pain shoot through my head. I watched in horror as her eyes turned black and my body received wave after wave of agony. I collapsed to my knees, hands over my temples, trying to block out the pain.

I barely registered the voices of the other vampires in the house as they too felt the pain she was sending out, but only as a side effect. I was the target. My vision blurred and the pain started to decrease, ever so slowly. I vaguely remembered hearing Jasper's voice, whispering, "Bella, you don't want to hurt him really, I know you don't. Reel in the pain, control it, it will be all right Bella. Come on Bella come back out of it." I heard him grunt in what sounded like pain, as it subsided from my head. I realized how weak I felt once the pain retreated from me completely. My vision cleared up and I looked up to see Bella still in her awkward cross-legged pose complete with book staring at Jasper now instead of me. Jasper was stock still beside her, his body tense from being the receiver of her pain now. His jaw clenched tightly, but slowly he began to relax as Bella's eyes returned to their amber glow.

I staggered out of the room and stopped in the kitchen. Hands resting on the counter, head down, I tried to understand what I had done or not done to provoke her. Alice walked slowly into the kitchen from the living room. She had a sad smile on her features, and she came over and rested her forehead on my hunched shoulder.

_I didn't know she was going to do that. It must have been a split second decision. I'm sorry. I would have warned you otherwise. You'll need to go hunting again tonight before work; would you like some company?_

I shook my head in a barely discernible gesture. I swallowed the venom in the back of my scratchy throat. "I'll go alone. Thank you Alice."

I left the house with the little strength I had left and fell on the first animal that would rejuvenate me. It happened to be a large buck. As I came back from losing myself to the hunt, I focused my thoughts on my wife. What had I done to her to cause her to hate me so? Maybe she hated me for changing her all those years ago. Maybe she regretted becoming one of us. She would probably have been a grandmother by now. Sporting graying and thinning hair, laugh lines and wrinkles.

Was she finally coming to terms that most of her human past had died? Or is it something more superficial? I could never tell with her anymore. The silence of her mind had always frustrated me, but now more than ever, when she wouldn't open up to me anymore. I'm left in the dark and I don't know how to reconstruct what was once a beautiful relationship.

I disposed of the carcass of my hunt and wandered around the woods. I sat down against a tree and waited for the release of emotions I had held back for too long. I brought my knees up to my chin and wrapped my arms in front of me, resting my head on my folded arms.

I dry sobbed for a long time, sitting like that. Hiding from the world around me, unsure of where to go from here or what to do. Where did I go wrong? Was there still love between us or had we fallen too far apart? This was the first time I'd cried over this, keeping everything I had felt locked up tight. The torrential release of my pain and uncertainty from all these years since Bella's emotional departure from our relationship came tumbling out in those hours I cried.

It wasn't just the surprise of her attacking me, but the fact that she could release her agony on me just by my asking about her day. How had we gotten to this point? Was there any way out? Was I; were we, fated to live this way for all eternity? Was this my punishment for taking lives in my rebellion, or taking her soul when I changed her?

When my sobs had ebbed to shallow, jerky breaths, I felt cool arms wrap around me. By the smell, I knew it was Esme. We stayed silent for some time, even her thoughts were hushed. She just held me as I regained my normal breathing. She didn't have to say or think anything; she stood up and reached for my hand, not necessarily to help me up, but symbolically to show me she was always here for me and she would help whenever and however she could. I rose and hugged her fiercely. I whispered into her hair after a moment, "Thank you Esme. Mom." We returned side by side to the house walking slowly and silently.


	5. Mine All Mine

Our return to the manor was quiet. Esme had learned how to keep her mind blank after years of practice, so I was still alone with my thoughts, until I heard Jasper's slight whisper calling me. When I stopped at the porch steps, Esme glanced back and over my shoulder, Jasper was standing in the woods off to my left. She nodded and went into the house while I turned and went to Jasper. He kept his face stoic and his emotions blank but the voice inside my head was upset and hushed.

_She was jealous. I felt it plain as day until she flipped on you in there. She felt the pride and intrigue and interest coming from you and Desdemona upstairs._

"I was just teaching—"

He held up his hand quickly and continued.

_Sshh. She's listening. I know you were just trying to help Mona speak. I know that. She knows that. But she's still jealous. Just let her cool down for a bit, and try to talk to her. I don't know if she'll go off on you again, but it's all I can think to tell you to do. I'm going hunting now._

He nodded his head slightly towards the house and speed off quickly out of sight. I went right to my lounge, avoiding any of the other family and sat in one of the plush chairs in the center of the room. I listened to the sounds of the house, and the other vampires within its walls as I contemplated what I should say to my wife.

From the living room, I could hear Alice pointing out different outfits and trying to teach Mona how to say the designer. The images from Mona's mind screamed boredom, but she continued to go along with it, stumbling over some of the more bizarre names in fashion to appease Alice. Rosalie was in the garage, tinkering with Esme's lawn mower, that wouldn't start. Emmett's voice echoed off the walls, suggesting to just buy a new one.

Carlisle and Esme were alone in their room, relaxing and enjoying each others company before he went to work. Their minds reflecting that they both were worried about the family, especially mine and Bella's marriage. Carlisle even thought about advising relationship counseling, but quickly dismissing it for many reasons – the first being that it might expose our immortality.

As usual, unless Bella was with another member of the family, I wouldn't be able to find her with my mind. But with my ears, I heard the shower in the bathroom she used turn off and the soft sounds of her drying and dressing. Then the hair dryer being turned on. Alice had repeatedly played Bella Barbie over the years, until Bella decided she would rather do it herself. Alice was both sad and joyful for this, as she taught Bella different makeup tips and tricks.

I decided I would ask Alice when the best time to speak with Bella would be. Sure enough not a minute later I heard Alice's mental voice in my head.

_Edward, she shouldn't …attack… you if you speak with her after she is done with her makeup._

I stood, and paced around the room a few minutes before venturing down the stairs and to Bella's wash room. She was finishing up and closing her makeup case when I arrived at her door. She opened the door and took a step back in surprise when she saw me standing in the doorway.

"May I speak with you, Bella?" I asked, my way of speaking becoming more formal the more nervous I became. She looked lovely as always, in a pale violet sweater and light blue jeans. Her makeup was natural, and her hair was pulled back in an elaborate braid. She nodded and stepped around me, leading me out the kitchen door to the swing on the porch. She sat in the middle, the small gesture indicating that she didn't want me next to her. "You look wonderful, as always. Did you have plans for this evening?" I asked quietly.

She just shook her head in a slight no, and raised an eyebrow at me. "What do you want Edward?"

"I was just hoping we could talk a bit," I stated. When had I become afraid of my wife? When I learned her power could cause me to black out? Or when I learned of her controlling Desdemona's every action? I hoped my voice did not betray my fear, though with her being an empath, there was no hiding from her.

"Are you bored of _her_ already?" Bella snapped back.

"I..." I began, but paused to take a calming breath, "I was wondering how your day went. I noticed how dressed up you were and-"

She cut in, "I quit my job. Anything else?"

I sighed. "I supposed not. Have a good evening, Bella."

She harrumphed and turned her face away from me, but otherwise remained quiet. I stepped back into the house and wandered around for several minutes before slowly retreating to my music lounge.

After my shift at work the following day, I called and asked Alice about those electronic books I had thought about before. She said to get the three Disney ones but leave the others. I wasn't supposed to give them to Desdemona myself though. I just needed to leave them in my car. Esme or Alice would handle it.

Emmett caught me before I entered the house. "Hey man, I was thinking, we should go on a hunting trip this weekend," he said pulling me back away from the house. Apparently he was keeping me from something, or someone.

"Is it supposed to be sunny? Alice hasn't mentioned it."

"I dunno, I mean, I wanna see how Mony hunts."

"It's Mony now, is it?" I asked, my eyebrows raising to challenge him.

"Yeah, like that song, Mony Mony! Right?" He asked, singing the song title.

"Have you asked her if she's okay with this nickname?"

"Umm, no?" He responded, the inflection of his voice going up like a question, when it was very much a statement.

"I didn't think so. Maybe you should stick with calling her Mona, like Alice does."

All of a sudden there was a shrieking sound, followed by a crash. We turned to look as Bella stepped threw the mess of what used to be the front windows. Desdemona was cowering on the ground past the porch, where she had landed after being thrown through the glass.

_Shit, I don't think it worked. _Emmett's voice echoed through my mind.

Esme and Alice were coming quickly to see the cause of the ruckus. Bella looked ferocious as she glared down at Desdemona's submissive form, oblivious to the four of us around her. She shrieked again, and Emmett and I both winced from the wave of pain that she released. The air around Bella looked tangible, wavering around her like heat waves on asphalt. Almost as if you could reach out and touch the emotions she was forcing onto Desdemona. All the while, Desdemona lay curled in on her self, feet and legs tucked up under her, face in the grass, and hands outstretched resting on the ground palms up. The ultimate position of submission. She trembled ever so slightly when Bella shrieked, but otherwise didn't move or make a sound.

Glimpsing into her mind, I could see her replaying what had happened just moments before – Bella sitting on the sofa reading a book when Desdemona walked through the living room. "Bel-la? Where's Esme?" She asked quietly. Bella didn't even look at her, all she did was shrug. "Where's Alice?" She asked. Again, Bella just shrugged. Desdemona looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, and then she heard my car. She darted to the window and smiled, I could hear the excitement in her voice, "Bel-la, Edward's here!"

And that's when Bella flipped out on her, screaming, "Don't you feel like that about him! He's _mine!_" And she threw Desdemona through the window.

I wondered why she was reliving the moment, again and again, until I realized she was unconsciously conditioning herself. She was equating the pain Bella inflicted on her in connection with feeling excited about seeing me. She was learning from her "mistakes." Bella gave one final scream and wave of pain and then turned abruptly, "Now go hunt!" She demanded offhandedly and stalked off to her library.

I looked at Emmett, who shrugged and said, "Alice had said that if you walked in, she would have ripped Mony apart. She didn't explain this alternative, but I think it was better than killing her." He sighed and went over to Desdemona. He leaned over her and went to help her up, but when she looked up at him, she just half smiled and shook her head. She turned and sprinted into the forest from her kneeling position instead. "What was that about?" He asked curiously when she was gone.

"I think she didn't want to get you in trouble with Bella," I surmised from her quick pictured thoughts.

"How come she didn't pass out like you and Jazz the other day?" He asked as I walked toward him and we climbed the stairs to the wrecked wall of the house. "It sure feel painful from where I was standing."

"Perhaps Mona's built up a tolerance to it?" Alice quipped from her seated spot on the back of the couch. I had a passing thought to ask where Esme was, and Alice was quick to answer. "She's already gone down to the basement to get stuff to patch up the wall. I said we'd stay to help." I nodded and leaned against the couch waited for Esme to return with the materials.


	6. No More Sorrow

Later that day, after we had patched up the wall and Carlisle had returned from work, Jasper's voice pierced my self-induced fog of thinking and brooding. _Edward- Carlisle and I are going to sit down with Bella and talk, sorta like therapy. Wanna listen in?_

As much as I didn't think Bella would like me to eavesdrop, I couldn't stop from being tempted. Maybe I would learn some of what she was thinking. I wandered down the hall after I knew the three of them were in Carlisle's study. I stepped into Alice's bedroom and went to her closet which shared the only wall of Carlisle's study that wasn't soundproofed. I stopped my breathing and steadied myself. I didn't want to fidget and give myself away. From within I could hear Carlisle thank Bella for letting him sit with her like this, and hopefully provide him some insight into her behavior lately.

"So, what happened earlier today Bella? Esme tells me the front windows and wall had to be replaced?"

"Desdemona..." she paused, editing, "...went flying through them." I wondered at her editing, did she really think Carlisle, her father figure, was going to punish her?

Carlisle waited for a moment, letting her figuratively squirm under his gaze. "And what caused Desdemona to fly through the windows?"

Bella's voice was full of nonchalance when she replied, "I tossed her."

"I see," was Carlisle's only reply. There was a silence that lasted a good five minutes during which I remembered a time when I received that silent reprimand. I don't think I lasted five minutes before I confessed to whichever prank I had pulled on Emmett or Rosalie that had caused Esme to be frustrated with me. It was a strange tactic but Carlisle had gotten it down to a perfect science. _This is going nowhere,_ I thought to myself. _She's not going to crack._ Two more minutes passed before Bella finally broke the silence.

"She felt longing and happiness that Edward was home. I didn't like it so I tossed her through the windows." She stopped, and I assume Jasper or Carlisle raised an eyebrow, there was more to it than that and they knew it. "And then I," she paused this time, looking for the right words, "...I inflicted enough pain on her to make her need to hunt."

"I know you're an empath, but do you know what made you angry for her feeling the way she did?" Carlisle said quietly, asking patiently. I recognized why she felt angry, I know both he and Jasper knew too.

She must have shrugged because Jasper spoke quietly. "Don't play coy, Bella. This emotion should be easy to pick up," and with that I felt the wisps of his gift gently float towards me, I assume Bella was in the same direction as me.

She was frustrated and her the tone of her voice colored her words, "Jealousy. Okay? I recognize it. I was jealous. Happy?" she bit back at Jasper.

"Why were, or rather, why are you jealous?" Carlisle asked.

I guess she was done with the waiting game, she must have decided they weren't going to give up until she confessed. "I'm not the youngest anymore, I guess. I miss the attention. Everything's been 'all-about-Mona' lately and I lashed out at her."

"There's more to it, dear." Jasper must have been getting impatient at her skirting around the real issue. It was rare that he lost his patience with anyone, but I wonder if Bella's emotions were influencing him and she was the real one losing patience.

"Fine." She snapped. "I give, okay, stop trying to pry me open with your gift, it's grating on my nerves." She probably gave a very mean glare at Jasper at that point and I felt the wisps of his gift retreating. "I was jealous of Edward's attention to Desdemona. I miss when his attention was on me."

There was silence again, as Carlisle and Jasper thought through that bit of information. _She missed me? _ That made me feel a little hope. "But he tried to talk to you just yesterday," Jasper nudged.

"I... but," she stumbled over her words a moment before lapsing back into silence.

"And the day before," Jasper mentioned.

I heard her as she harrumphed at being reminded. "It's his... it's his emotions! They drive me crazy! Sorrow and guilt and anger and caution, I just want to shake him or something, to get those damn emotions to go away. The caution especially! Arrh. Everyone has that damn cautious feeling, it's suffocating!" There was a slight pause before she asked, "Can we go hunt now? I need to get out of this house."

Carlisle must have nodded because I heard the door open a split second later and two sets of vampire feet run out the house. Jasper must be sticking to his word and staying by her. I stood still as a statue for a while, before I finally turned as the door of the closet opened and Alice stepped in, "You can come out of my closet now, Edward."

"Oh, yeah. Sorry," I mumbled as I walked to my lounge. _My emotions_. It's _my_ emotions that's pushing her to attack me. Somehow I had not even thought of that. She's an empath, sure, but I didn't realize that how I was feeling could effect her so much. Of course, it made sense, but I just didn't put it together until now. I felt stupid all of a sudden when I came to this realization. Now, to try and focus on alleviating those emotions from myself before I tried to talk to her again. The anger I think I could fix easily. The guilt and sorrow? Much more difficult to eliminate. I don't know if I can get past the biggest stumbling block for both of us though. The caution. Since she came back to me, I've always been cautious because I'm scared she'll run away again. Or since Desdemona was brought into our lives, I've been cautious of the pain she can inflict. Though, it is only temporary. Perhaps if I think of it like that. I mean, just a simple hunting trip can fix the weakness and burning in my throat. It's painful, but temporary. I can handle it. I can try at least. I wanted my Bella back.


	7. Running

It's been about a week since Bella's therapy session. I've picked up a second shift at the hospital and I've been trying to work through my emotions. I got a chance to talk to Jasper on the phone when he wasn't around Bella. He gave me a few mental exercises to do and a few prompts to get me to question why I feel the way I do, so I could work through everything. Amazingly enough, just the simple act of talking myself out of being cautious has helped with that emotion. I can take it, come what may, basically.

The hardest to let go of surprised me, but not Jasper. It's my guilt. My guilt for bringing her into this life, for failing to keep her safe, even from herself, for damning her soul. Even for all those she's hurt and killed because we didn't know how to help her develop her gift while she was here. Jasper even brought up my rebellion years that I spent away from Carlisle and our diet. He was right, of course, that I still held guilt for taking lives even though they were evil people. Jasper shared that he also has guilt for his actions when he was with Maria, and Bella helped him take some of it into her. He argued with her not to take it all, because he didn't want her to deal with it. So they compromised, she only took some of his guilt, his pain, but not all of it. Not nearly.

As I worked through my sorrow, I realized it was stemming from regret and my guilt. When I acknowledged, at Jasper's nudging that I didn't really regret turning Bella, some of my sorrow lifted. It was almost comical that a simple prompted thought could help release my sorrow. It really did feel like a burden was lifted off my shoulders. Amazing. Why hadn't I talked to Jasper about this before?

It was after my second shift at the hospital when I decided I wanted to try and approach Bella. I could hear that Desdemona and Carlisle were upstairs reading from the dictionary, strange, but it seemed to work, her thoughts were beginning to be punctuated with words as the images and sounds spread out in her mind. Alice and Jasper were alone in their room spending quality time together. A quick thought about the other members of the family had Alice's voice piercing my thoughts, _Em and Rose went with Esme to the home improvement store. She wanted to buy some supplies for a new project. Bella's on the porch._

Just like Alice, to set up the situation for me. I took a deep, unnecessary breath and stepped out the front door where Bella was sitting on the porch swing. She turned her head slightly as she heard me come out the door. She slid from the middle of the swing to the end, and I sat beside her quietly. Just relaxing in the silence with my wife. We stared out onto the lawn for what felt like an hour, but it was only a few minutes.

"Bella, would you like to go running with me?" I asked out of the blue. As she glanced over at me, she looked a little startled but recovered quickly.

"Yeah, sure," she said quietly and stood and made her way down the stairs. The epitome of grace as she didn't look at her feet at all. Even forty years later, just the smallest thing would send me spiraling into a memory of her as a human. I smiled to myself as I followed just two steps behind her. Before I knew where we were going, she took off and I followed, soon falling into step beside her.

As twilight fell over the forest and the diurnal animals settled into their homes for the night, I relaxed into the joy of just running. There was no destination, I didn't have to pretend to be human, I didn't have to focus my thoughts and weed out those of others, it was just running. If it weren't for the awkward silence between Bella and I, the run would be exhilarating. As it was, though, I felt more peace than I had felt in a while.

Apparently the silence was too much after a while, and Bella broke it with an even more awkward question, "How's Desdemona?"

"I don't know," I responded without giving further details. She'll have to work at this too.

"What do you mean you 'don't know'? How could you not know?" She asked confused, but with a tint of hostility in her voice.

"Just what it sounds like, Bella, I don't know. You'd have to ask Esme, Alice, or maybe Carlisle. I've picked up an extra shift at the hospital this past week and I haven't been home much. When I am home, I'm in my lounge." I replied in kind. A bit of hostility. She hasn't seemed to mind that lately.

"Oh," she said. I couldn't pick up an emotion or anything from that one word, so I remained quiet for a bit. As we turned east a bit, I confessed.

"I heard some of your therapy session last week."

"WHAT!" She stopped dead in her tracks and I had to backtrack a couple hundred yards to be within a normal conversation distance.

"I heard you say you didn't like my emotions," I elaborated. Bella's eyes had started to turn black, and she stood perfectly still with a furious look on her face. As I started to feel the pain creep into my brain, I tried again, "Before you make me pass out, Bella, test my emotions, are they any better?"

She stopped increasing the pain, though I was left with this burning fire that felt like my brain was boiling. It was extremely uncomfortable, but I remained standing while she just stared at me for a moment.

"Hmm," she grunted, easing the pain from my brain slowly. "You aren't full of anger or sorrow as much. And the caution is completely gone. Thank God! Your guilt is less overwhelming too." As she contemplated my emotions aloud she eased the pain away completely. I took a deep breath, but she continued, "You talked to Jasper?"

"Yeah. He helped me work through some of it," I conceded that I'd had help.

"He's good at that. He's been helping me too," she admitted. I was curious and I raised my eyebrows, hoping to get her to elaborate. It worked and she continued, "We've gone to a full theater and he's let me release sadness throughout the audience during sad parts of the movie. He let me pick the movie once and I picked a comedy. It was quite hilarious to see everyone sniffling during the parts of the movie that were the most funny. Jasper didn't think it was as funny as I did. We've tried other outlets, political debates that I riled up with anger. They didn't need that much instigating from me. A class of yoga students at the gym I released anxiety and agitation as they got to the meditation part. Jazz did like that one. He keeps picking large groups of people so when I release the emotions they don't cause so much pain to any particular person."

There was a slight smile on her face as she recalled some of her escapes with Jasper. It was good to see. It made me feel happy, if only for a moment. I hated to bring the gaiety of the moment down, but I wanted her to know, "As much as I care about our family, and my patients at the hospital, you come first, you know?" She looked a little lost, that I was bringing this up now, but she waited for me to finish. "I'd do anything to work this out between us. I miss us. I miss this. This is the first relatively normal conversation we've had in a while. I'll work some more on my emotions. Can we go running again tomorrow? I want to work through this rift between us. Will you try with me?"

She smiled a sad little smile at me, and nodded. "I'll probably still attack you, now and then, but I'll try to keep it at a low level. This was nice." I smiled back at her and reached out for her hand. She reached back and we held hands for a moment before we both took off back home, somehow knowing it was time to go back, knowing that this was enough for now. We could get through this.

When we returned from our running I felt a bit more optimistic than I had in months. Perhaps in years. But as surely as I felt it, the panicked thoughts of our family seemed to bring it crashing down. Bella noticed my body stiffen just slightly and she picked up that I was upset and started running faster at my side. "What is it?" She asked.

"They're thinking too fast. Alice saw a phone call? Carlisle's on the phone with... Aro?" I was filtering aloud for her.

"Shit," she muttered as we came up to the house and into the door. We were met with 6 of the 7 members in our family in the living room, waiting. They were shocked at first by Bella and I together, but then returned to frantic thinking about all the possibly reasons that Aro would call Carlisle.

Esme was standing behind the overstuffed chair Desdemona was sitting in, her hand resting gently on Desdemona's shoulder as a silent form of comfort. Alice was sitting ramrod straight on the edge of the sofa, her eyes glazed over from a vision. Jasper was also sitting on the edge of the sofa his whole body turned towards her, one hand behind Alice's back, the other on her knee, a worried expression written on his face. Emmett was sitting on the floor in front of Rosalie. One arm propped up on a bent knee, a serious expression on his otherwise happy face. Rosalie was sitting forward on the loveseat, one hand on Emmett's shoulder, the other running through his hair. The look on her face showed desperation and of all the worried thoughts and panicked feelings throughout the room, her expression scared me the most.

Bella and I sat down in the empty spots as we waited in tense silence for Carlisle to join us. I sat stiffly next to Alice, while Bella angled her body against the corner of the loveseat Rose wasn't on. With the setup of the furniture, we had an effective triangle. Esme arranged this part of the room like this, just for family gatherings so no person was separated or cut off from any other.

We all stiffened slightly as we heard Carlisle open his office door and make his way down the stairs. He joined the group and stood beside Esme, grasping her hand like it was the only thing holding him together. Other than that, nothing about his posture or voice indicated the worry and fear that were present in his mind.

"Aro has decided that it's time to visit Italy," Carlisle said almost conversationally. "We were given the option of having them visit us here," he paused and finished mentally, _and kill one or two of us for having such a large coven_. "...or we could go there. All nine of us."

"How does he know about Mona?" Esme asked carefully.

"He didn't say, he just insisted I bring everyone. All nine," his calm demeanor easing everyone else. At least for the moment.

"When?" Emmett asked after a lengthy pause.

Alice answered then, "Day after tomorrow. He's not in any mood for postponing this meeting."

"What would have happened if they visited here, Carlisle?" Bella asked. Her intuition for asking the right questions when someone didn't want to answer showing as Carlisle took a deep breath. He really didn't want to answer.

I volunteered the information because he was scared of the reaction everyone would have. "If Aro and the guard had to come here to see us, they would have killed a mated pair. Could have been me and Bella, or even Carlisle and Esme. He hadn't decided yet and he liked the idea of us squirming and pleading for our lives."

Carlisle nodded, and hung his head in shame. Each couple, aside from Bella and I, tightened their hold on their mate and gasped. Desdemona especially looked scared, because she didn't have a mate to hold on to. Her hand reached up to hold onto Emse's tightly.

The next day and a half were spent in close proximity to each other. All nine of us stayed in the house. Worry eclipsing most of our thoughts. Carlisle and I settled things for a quick vacation at the hospital. Esme helped Desdemona pack some clothes while the others of us packed our own things. We packed light, hoping that we wouldn't be staying long. When it was time to leave, Alice had already made our flight plans and all we had to do was board the plan for Volterra. Jasper and I had created Desdemona's passport and we were ready to go. Though I was worried that she wasn't ready to be near humans. None of us had worked with her on that. But she reassured me, with a smile, saying, "It's okay Edward, I can just hold my breath if it gets to be too much." She had come a long way from the mute she had been. Though her thoughts were still more images than words.

It would take about 24 hours to get to Rome but there was a long layover at JFK so we could hunt before it was time to go. We were all quite nervous – about Desdemona's thirst, about going to Volterra, and getting out of Volterra with our lives. When we finally arrived in Rome, we rented two vehicles and drove through the countryside. The beauty of Italy marred by the tension we were all under. We stopped to hunt once more before we entered the city and the nightmare began.


	8. Bad Moon Arising

Our steps on the black and brown cobblestone flooring made a grating ca-clunk sound as the family made it's way down the very dimly lit tunnel. We had come to Volterra, Italy to meet with the Volturi, the rulers of the vampire world, as they requested. My fear was eating away at my stomach, giving me phantom cramps. I think everyone else was experiencing similar pain, but no one else showed it on their stoney faces.

Carlisle, in black dress pants with immaculate creases down the front and a light blue button down dress shirt, lead the way confident in his stride. We walked at a slow pace, faster than what I saw of the humans on our trip here, but still relatively slow for a vampire. Just a step behind him, were Emmett and Edward shoulder to shoulder. Emmett was dressed in blue jeans and a button down red plaid flannel with a white tee shirt underneath. His light brown hiking boots ca-clunked just a quietly as Carlisle's dress shoes. Edward's black leather shoes were barely covered by his tight legged black denim pants. He walked more on his toes than the other two men and his steps didn't make a sound even over the cobblestone. His navy sweater was longer, and wrapped tightly over his hips and would have reached past his wrists if he didn't have the sleeves pushed up his forearms. The light brown hair on his arm stood on end as we walked farther down the tunnel. Even his body was reacting to the stress, that instinctual fear that something was very dangerous here.

Rosalie walked slightly behind Emmett, her red pumps gliding easily over the cobblestone. Her tight white jeans accentuating her curves without even trying. The cowl-neckline fire-engine red tank top she wore draped over her torso just right and she walked with confidence in her step, her back straight and her shoulders back. Her beautiful blonde hair moved every so slightly as she glided along right in step with the others. Esme, half a step behind Rosalie and directly behind Edward, was dressed in her usual below-the-knee length style dress. Today it was a soft lilac in color and swayed gently in the breeze caused by her walking. Her low black heels ca-clunked the loudest, but it was still a quiet sound. One humans probably couldn't hear at all. The high neckline of her dress and her bouncy brown curls framed her heart shaped face.

I walked about two steps behind them with no one beside me. I felt alone even in the middle of this large family. My long brown hair hung down behind me in a simple braid and it tapped lightly against my back with each step I took. I tried to walk on my toes like Edward, but it felt awkward so I resumed my ca-clunking over the stones. Alice had suggested I wear this v-neck white sweater. It sparkled like my cold, crystalline skin in the sunlight. I had the sleeves down over my wrists and my fingers had found a single thread hanging that I continually curled around the fingertip of my other hand. My blue jeans fit well, but didn't do anything to my figure like Rosalie's. When we had turned a slight corner a little ways back, the tunnel grew smaller, I had glanced back to see Alice, Bella, and Jasper bringing up the end of our group. I think we all knew we were being trailed by another vampire wearing a black cape, but no one else seemed to care, so I fought against my instincts to react.

Alice was wearing some designer's new line. A boxy little black and yellow dress with vertical stripes and black ballet flats. She seemed to dance as she stepped quickly ahead of Jasper. He was wearing relaxed worn-looking denim jeans and a band tee shirt. His cowboy boots also made no noise whatsoever on the stones. His honey blonde hair hung into his face a little, but he didn't seem to notice. He had a fierce look on his face, as he was focused. His eyes scanning the tunnel we were in warily every few moments. Very aware of our extra company in the tunnel.

Bella, my master, was behind me and beside Alice. She wore wool gray dress pants and a sleeveless dress shirt. Her collar was open a button and the slight bit of skin that was showing was a beautiful pale cream color. Her brown hair billowed out around her shoulders and the look on her face was just as fierce as Jasper's.

We all slowed to a stop in front of a large wooden door that had rust on it's iron hinges. Carlisle pushed on the door and it opened without so much as a creak. No one was on the other side that I could sense. I could hear the crackle of the fire of the torches hung on the wall, and the flickering light on the walls cast a warm glow over everything. Once we were through the door I heard Jasper shut it just as quietly as it had opened. At the end of this walkway stood another vampire in a black cloak. It covered everything, from her head to her feet. When we had all stopped in front of her, she pushed the hood of her cloak back. Her red eyes scared me. She seemed very young, and the look on her face was one of disdain.

"Hello Cullen coven," she spoke, her words echoing in the small space. "Aro has requested me to bring you to your rooms. Follow," her command was quick, and she turned and walked up the spiral stairway behind her. The bottom of her cloak brushing along the flooring, making a barely discernible swishing sound as it came in contact with each of the steps. At the first landing, we followed the little vampire through a arched doorway to the right. This hallway had a bit of natural light illuminating it, and I noticed a small arched window at the end of it. On my next inhale I noticed that I could smell the trees outside, and the thin, cool air of the afternoon seeping into the space. Overpowering the smell of the outdoors was the scents of five or six strange vampires, and a few humans, but they were days old. I didn't smell any dust, though. Perhaps they cleaned up for us?

"The floor of this wing is yours for the duration of your visit," she spoke in a hurry, like she had somewhere to be. "Dinner will be _available_ in a matter of moments. If any of you would like to join...?" She smirked like there was some inside joke I didn't understand.

Carlisle spoke up, "No thank you, we've already dined." No other words were spoken and the little black-clad vampire sped out of sight almost as soon as Carlisle spoke.

I sent a wave of confusion to my master, hoping she would understand my question. I tried not to let my confusion show on my face. Bella leaned forward until she was at my ear and whispered, "They drink from humans." A slight shiver of fear ran down my spine at that.

Carlisle stepped forward, but turned to look at us. "Well, I didn't realize we'd be staying. I had hoped Aro would see us today and we'd be on our way home tomorrow. Seeing as that's not the case, perhaps we should make ourselves a bit more comfortable. I'm sure Aro will send for us after they've... _dined,_ and if we need anything, we can slip out of the castle later in the evening to retrieve it from our rentals. Esme," he held out his hand for his wife, and when she clasped it they turned and went into the last room on the left.

Emmett and Rosalie broke off and entered the only other door on the left. Edward turned around and looked meaningfully at Bella, whom smiled at him almost affectionately and she reached her hand out to his, they also clasped hands and walked together into their room. The last on the right. I turned in time to see and here the first door on the right closing with the last couple. I stood alone in the afternoon smelling hallway made of large dark stones and a single arched window at one end and the arched doorway at the other. There was one door left, between Edward and Alice's rooms. I looked it over, the medium wood had turned dark with age and stain, and the hinges were made of iron. It looked just like the other four doors in this hall, the doorknob in the center and rather low compared to the modern doors at the Cullen's home. I hoped it wasn't a closet.

I stepped over to it, reached out and touched the cool metal. I took a deep breath and pushed it gently inward. The room was very narrow, dark except for the torch lit within the room, close to the door. There was a faint bit of natural light coming from the opposite wall. It looked as if someone had attempted to make a window where one wasn't originally. Two blocks of the wall had been shimmied from their place, making a hole that was off square, higher on the wall than I was tall. It helped with the smell. The room smelled as if it hadn't been opened in some time, stale and musty and unused. Against the left wall was a small bed, plain threadbare cotton sheets and duvet. The pillow was flat and it looked lumpy. Not that I'd be sleeping on it, but I had started to enjoy having a bed to lay on at the Cullen's home. Just a place to lay down and close my eyes and enjoy the sounds of a house. It was much different than my cave.

The cave where I spent almost the first year of this new life. Listening to the wish-woosh of the wind as it blew past the opening of my den. The rat-tat-tat of the soft rain on the leaves just outside the opening. The howling of the wind during the more tumultuous storms and the steady cacophony of the down pours. The glorious chorus of the birds in the mornings, the whispers of the nocturnes as twilight fell. Just listening.

The view from the misshapen window was of another block wall, probably from a similar wing of rooms, like this one. There was perhaps about two feet between the stones of this wall and that of the next, and we were at least three stories from the ground. The ceiling in my narrow room, however, was very tall. The length of the room from the door to the makeshift window was about three times it's width, which wasn't saying much. I sighed in my mind. This must have been a closet. At least our hosts had realized there was an extra besides the four couples and made this space available for me, however small and bare it was. I closed the door behind me and sat down on the bed, back resting against the wall under the window and closed my eyes. It was time for listening.

I could hear the murmur of vampires speaking in low voices from Edward and Bella's room. Too quiet to pick out the words, but no overly loud or emotional tones. They weren't arguing or fighting. It was strange, to see my master like that. She had smiled at him. Smiled. I didn't know what to make of that. She had always been so angry. So fierce and determined and demanding to me, that I didn't realize that of course she wasn't like that with everyone, with anyone other than me. Especially not her husband.

I could hear the creak-squeak of springs coming from across the hall, and soft moans and groans as the most physical couple of the Cullens shared their love. I heard no noise from Carlisle and Esme's room, but then again, I had rarely heard them when they were alone together. It was as if their being together created a bubble of silence, even if they were making love, the only sounds I usually heard were the softest rustle of sheets. No panting of breathe or bodies meeting, like that of Emmett and Rosalie.

I could feel wisps of love and desire as Jasper used his gift as he and Alice shared their love with intangibles. They also, were quiet when they were together. Now that I think about it, I had never heard Edward and Bella either, though. Rarely had I ever seen them in the same room, much less speaking or touching or showing any kind of affection. Though since I had become a member of the household a month ago, I had been kept away from my master. Alice always sending me to hunt with Esme or read with Carlisle or even spend time browsing magazines in her room if Bella was around.

As the hours of the afternoon wore on, and the light from the sun dwindled into twilight, I heard the swishing of a cloak on stone outside my door. There was a light tap on the door across the hall, and Carlisle opened it quickly. The female vampire from before spoke, "Aro will see you now." Four more knocks sounded as Esme rounded to each door, calling the family forth. I opened my door immediately after she knocked and it startled her a little, but she just replaced the shocked look with a smile before she returned to Carlisle's side. Once the family had gathered in the hall, the little vampire swished away and we followed in silence. The air felt thick with tension as we went down the spiral stairs we ascended earlier and made our way through several different hallways and doors before we were brought into a large circular chamber. At the far wall upon a dais were three large, ornate thrones. Wood painted black and gold details. They looked extremely uncomfortable. Three men sat upon those thrones looking out over the room. Along the walls, were other black cloaked figures, guards and witnesses as the Volturi held court.

We were standing in the center of this large room, Carlisle in the center with Esme slightly behind him on his left. On his right, Edward and Bella stood holding tightly to each others' hands. Slightly behind Edward and Bella, Jasper had his left arm wrapped around Alice's side, tucking her tight to his side. Emmett and Rosalie were on the other side of Alice, in a similar position. I was standing a step behind Carlisle and Edward. Their tall frames almost blocking me from view, but not quite. It's not like I could hide.

"Carlisle," the man on the center throne said as he rose. "It's been such a long time, my friend." His eyes were bright red, just like the others I'd seen. He wore a black suit with the distinct black cloak draped over him, but left unclasped.

"It has," Carlisle responded. "What's the meaning behind your invitation, Aro?" he asked, getting right to the point.

Aro continued, ignoring Carlisle's question. "It's wonderful to see you all again. Or some of you for the first time. We almost forgot about our sweet Bella. How's immortality treating you, dear?" He asked my master.

"Just fine," she snipped, her voice hard and on edge.

"I'm glad," he paused, shifting his stance, looking back at Carlisle. "I don't believe we've met everyone, care to give the introductions?" Carlisle looked hard at him for a moment, understanding his game. I could only guess. Perhaps they didn't get company very often, and he enjoyed this little conversation game.

"Aro," Carlisle nodded, "This is Esme, my mate," he motioned to the woman on his left. "You've met Edward, Bella, and Alice. Jasper is Alice's mate." He gestured to each couple as he spoke, "Emmett and Rosalie are mates." He took a step to the side, allowing me to be fully seen for a moment, "Our newest member, Desdemona. Aro, Marcus, and Caius; the Volturi."

"Your coven has grown, Carlisle. This troubles us," Aro spoke quietly. "To the outside eye, you look to be gathering talent. If you weren't our friend, you could be said to be gathering an army."

Esme spoke from her husband's side, "Our family has only grown, we are always striving to live in peace with each other and those around us."

Aro seemed like he really was listening to her and thought for a moment before continuing, "I believe you, but to continue the peace we need to come to an agreement. One of your coven will join the Guard here – only for ten years. At the end of that term, another member of your coven will join us, while the first can rejoin you." Esme gasped in horror but he went on, unfazed, "Of course the vampire that joins us will be allowed to stay on your vegetarian diet and their mate is allowed to live in the castle with them – if they would like. It's entirely their choice."

Carlisle acquiesced without a fight, "Will we be allowed to choose who is to join you?"

"Not this first time, but every other time after that. And you are all allowed to visit, of course. The new Guard will be allowed the same 'vacation' time as all the others, two weeks each year to do or go as they please."

My master was the one to speak up against the plan, "What if we refuse?"

"Ah, Bella dear. Each time you refuse our invitation to join the guard for that decade, we'll destroy one of you. At the end of a century the Cullen coven will be no more. It's not something I'd enjoy really. We don't like wasting talent. Those without an obvious gift will be killed first. Emmett, Rosalie, Desdemona, Esme..."

Carlisle practically choked when Aro started listing who would be killed, "No, no, we'll do it. We'll do it. Who's the first to join you?"

"This isn't a form of punishment, you understand? Just precaution. We'll be asking the sire of your newest member. Desdemona, will you come forward, child?"

My ears figuratively perked up when he called my name, and I stepped around Carlisle who had tugged Esme close to his side a moment ago. I remember Carlisle telling me about the Volturi and that Aro can read my thoughts. Every thought I've ever had, with just one touch. I knew what he was asking so I held my hand out to him once I was in front of him. He just smiled and reached for me.

"Yes child, you know what I'm asking. Now let me see," he clasped my hand in his and looked into my mind. I idly wondered if he could see into my human life, or remember things that happened when I was not in my right mind. Too stricken with pain and strife to consciously think. Figuring questions like those would be answered later, I allowed myself to relax as he released my hand.

"What an apt named for you my dear, wretchedness indeed. With your introduction to this world you shouldn't mind what happens next. Felix, escort Bella to the vacant suite in the Guard's wing of the castle."

A tall, scary looking vampire was next to my master within moments, and he grabbed her arm violently to lead her away. Without thought, my body acted on instinct. I felt myself lower into a crouch and growl low in my throat. No one was to touch my master like that. My growl startled Felix and he looked at me but stopped pulling on my master's arm. My body was taunt and waiting for the slightest reaction to snap like a string when Aro's laughter rang aloud in the chamber.

I chanced a quick glance to see Aro with a large, creepy smile on his face. "My child, Desdemona, what is the matter? Bella has tortured you. Why are you not excited that she is to be separate from the family now?"

"She is my master. What am I to do, how am I to act without her presence?" I answered honestly, surprised gasped sounded from a few of the members of my family. I straightened my spine and relaxed a moment, "and he shouldn't touch her like that. I will protect her with my dying breath if I have to."

Bella looked forlorn for a moment, before a sad smile spread across her face. And it was directed at me. I felt an overwhelming love for my master then, and her desire to do what's right. She cared for me. "It will be all right, Dessy, Esme and Carlisle will take care of you. I'll be okay here. Felix won't hurt me," she said. She squeezed Edward's hand and looked to each member of our family with that sad smile, before she walked away with Felix out the door.


End file.
